Dolomite lime w/ organics

[Zarezhu]

Hey guys!

I'm getting ready to do the final mixing of my soil before I plant all my ladies in their 150g containers, but I need something cleared up beforehand.

I've been reading about pulverized dolomite lime, and I FINALLY found a local source (after hitting up maybe 10 stores to no avail) and I'm going to pick some up tomorrow for the garden.

HOWEVER, I've read that you shouldnt mix dolomite lime along with fertilizers.

Here's my situation: I have roughly 600 gallons of potting soil (rice hulls, perlite, peat moss, compost, chicken manure, kelp meal, bat guano, and EWC) along with an extra 100g of EWC, 6 40lb bags of Drystall Horse Bedding (pumice ftw), and 100lb of gypsum. I'll be adding some peat as well to slightly acidify the soil, plus it makes me feel safer about adding dolomite lime.

If I mix everything together tomorrow (gypsum/lime/ewc/pumice/bonemeal/bloodmeal) and I soak it and let it sit for 2 weeks until my ladies go into the ground, will there be any negative effects on the soil?Will the dolomite react in a negative way if it's mixed in at the same time as my organic ammendments?

 

[TommytheCat]

I may be wrong here so please wait for more feedback, but I've NEVER had an issue mixing lime in with other stuff.

 

[MIway]

Ditto.

And usually one is adding DL to raise the soil pH... to counteract the acidity of the peat. Never thought to add peat to acidify lime...?

 

[Zarezhu]

Two reasons for me to add dolomite lime.

1) Calcium/Magnesium of course
2) I feed with tea's as well as EJ products, which have VERY low ph's. It allows me to feed with acidic tea's without worry as I know the lime will buffer the mix and make all the nutrients readily available.

My soil is at around 7 ph, so some peat definitely wouldnt hurt, especially since I'm adding the lime.

Thanks for the reassurance though guys

 

[geopolitical]

I've never had an issue with mixing dolomite in the same time as fertilizers and other amendments.

It's very unlikely to react in a very negative way. Your gypsum is for calcium?

 

[Zarezhu]

The gypsum (I'm using 10lb per 150G container) is for a few things. It's actually uncalcined agricultural gypsum.

It lightens up the soil, improving air/water penetration as well as drainage. Nothing like great soil texture :] Stimulates chlorophyll development as well as many proteins. It even helps break down organic potassium so it's more readily available.

Only reason I looked into it was because when I read through Toms huuuuge outdoor thread, he recommended using 20 pounds of gypsum per 200 gallon containers. Myself, I'll only do 10 pounds per 150 gallons

 

[Dave Coulier]

Hey guys!

I'm getting ready to do the final mixing of my soil before I plant all my ladies in their 150g containers, but I need something cleared up beforehand.

I've been reading about pulverized dolomite lime, and I FINALLY found a local source (after hitting up maybe 10 stores to no avail) and I'm going to pick some up tomorrow for the garden.

HOWEVER, I've read that you shouldnt mix dolomite lime along with fertilizers.

Here's my situation: I have roughly 600 gallons of potting soil (rice hulls, perlite, peat moss, compost, chicken manure, kelp meal, bat guano, and EWC) along with an extra 100g of EWC, 6 40lb bags of Drystall Horse Bedding (pumice ftw), and 100lb of gypsum. I'll be adding some peat as well to slightly acidify the soil, plus it makes me feel safer about adding dolomite lime.

If I mix everything together tomorrow (gypsum/lime/ewc/pumice/bonemeal/bloodmeal) and I soak it and let it sit for 2 weeks until my ladies go into the ground, will there be any negative effects on the soil?Will the dolomite react in a negative way if it's mixed in at the same time as my organic ammendments?

Ive mixed it in with organic amendments, and never saw any problems as well.

I would suggest you add the lime last after testing your leachate pH. Many organic amendments will raise the pH. Some of those amendments will act as lime such as the compost and ewc in raising the pH quite quickly.

 

[Zarezhu]

I feel much more content about adding the lime, although I'm definitely gonna heed your warning as I don't want to overlime.

I'll go ahead and add 15% peat to the soil mix as well, it won't hurt. Probably only add half the recommended dose of lime unless ph is still going to be high.

Damn, I love this community hahaha

 

[TACOE]

I've seen (on gardenweb lately) 1/3-1/2 cup/cu. ft. recommended. Where as I have been using a full cup as prescribed by the boards here.

I will stick to 1 cup because i use 50% peat

you said peat is in the 600 gallons of mix.. what % there? and you are adding some. gypsum will not alter the pH.. you will be fine with 1 cup per. definitely

'specially if you will be doin low pH feedings with EJ, and ADDING peat

 

[guest2012y]

1 cup of powdered dolomite lime per cubic foot of ANY peat product.

You could also use this mix which I and a few other rather successful growers use:
1 part powdered dolomite
1 part powdered agricultural gypsum
2 parts Oyster shell powder
Use at the same ratio as dolomite alone...1 to two tablespoons per gallon/or 1 cup per cubic foot of any soil mix.

 

[mad librettist]

Dolomite lime w/ organics

1 cup of powdered dolomite lime per cubic foot of ANY peat product.

You could also use this mix which I and a few other rather successful growers use:
1 part powdered dolomite
1 part powdered agricultural gypsum
2 parts Oyster shell powder
Use at the same ratio as dolomite alone...1 to two tablespoons per gallon/or 1 cup per cubic foot of any soil mix.

I like gypsum. it's gentle enough to take internally in chinese medicine, and is the magic ingredient in the filling of twinkles.

 

[guest2012y]

Here's a link from Clack.......

http://www.usagypsum.com/agricultural-gypsum.aspx

 

[grapeman]

The gypsum (I'm using 10lb per 150G container) is for a few things. It's actually uncalcined agricultural gypsum.

It lightens up the soil, improving air/water penetration as well as drainage. Nothing like great soil texture :] Stimulates chlorophyll development as well as many proteins. It even helps break down organic potassium so it's more readily available.

Only reason I looked into it was because when I read through Toms huuuuge outdoor thread, he recommended using 20 pounds of gypsum per 200 gallon containers. Myself, I'll only do 10 pounds per 150 gallons

I've had to use gypsum in fields to correct soil conditions. It is a salt, so I've always made the decision to use gypsum using the "lesser of 2 evils" or budgetary analysis.

When I blend my own soil (peat based), I use dolomite lime always, but have yet to find a need for gypsum in my soil mix.

 

[Zarezhu]

Well the potting soil I used only tells me that it's a blend of forest product, canadian peat moss, horticultural sand, rice hulls, and perlite. I'm assuming it's got quite a bit of peat moss already, so yeah I could see myself maybe doing the full cup.

Gypsum for sure too, that was a great link right there. And at $12 for a 50lb bag, yes please.

I woulda loved to buy some crushed oyster shells but it was hard enough finding the dolomite hahah.

Maybe instead of adding more peat moss to the mix I can just add more worm castings?

 

[TACOE]

Just add the peat. it'll be fine. thats why you hunted down the doli.

12$ for the gypsum, but its like 5 dollars or less for 50 lbs of lime

 

[TACOE]

My girl gave me an early birthday present today.. coolest one i ever got. A bumper sticker that says "there's no excuse for not using Dolomite Lime" She got it made because i made a joke about some "there's no excuse for domestic violence" sticker, while drunk.

 

[habeeb]

I am a noob at organics, I admit..

but I still see no need to complicate things and add gypsum.. also to me in the long run if you recycle soil, people will only add more and more cal, which is not needed, and will only start to create an off balance..

I see in my eyes, people adding way more cal then needed..

organics is suppose to be a easy mix up, add this, add that, let is buffer.. yes that's fine. but what I want for people to start seeing is what it is they are actually mixing in, in the first place before letting it run it's course. what we are essentially mixing in is nutrients, which I'm sure if anything there's usually more then needed, then lacking..


the simpler the better..
just because you can, doesn't mean you should..

 

[Zarezhu]

habeeb - I do understand were you're coming from and your insight is much appreciated. I agree with the whole "there's usually more, not lacking" @ nutrients as I've had my fair amount of nute burn as well as nute lockout.

Howeverrrr, after hearing about and reading from many different places on the benefits of gypsum and how wonderful it really is, it would be a shame not to add into the soil. That's one thing I like to do, is research research research, and if I finally feel knowledgeable on the topic, I'll research some more, and then finally go out and make the purchase.

Making sure I don't use TOO MUCH, I'll probably go by half the recommended dose. Especially considering it's going to have dolomite as well.

 

[Buddle]

I have a relative question if you don't mind bro..I'm always stuck on which lime to use.I have a bag of Espomas garden lime which is small beads.I have hydrogenated lime and understand I should NOT use this in pots as its very strong.
I love the progress my girls make until about the sixth week in flower and they begin to show classic signs of cal/mag deficiencies.Not all of them but some strains do...I know its because my buffering is all used up..So if I'm using a mix of promix and light warrior should I stick with a tbl spoon of the Espoma per gallon? Thx anyone and all

 

[Zarezhu]

Everywhere I went they had those cute little 5lb bags of epsoma garden lime, the pelleted lime. I went through Home Depot, Lowes, Walmart, OSH, Harbor Freight, a few other local stores and nurseries, and I finally found the big bags of the pulverized dolomite lime.

Call every store in your area and see if you can source the pulverized dolomite lime, it's the same price, but you get 10x more.

I know people who've used the Epsoma Garden Lime with success, but from what I heard about it, being pellets, it's much better to stay away from it and find some pulverized DL.

If you're stuck on using the garden lime, I'd just go by what the label recommends (or maybe try for 20% more than you've been using? Just to see if it'll finish flowering without showing cal/mag def).